Retirement Health Plans

New Retirees

New retirees may continue health coverage through either the Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA) or the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS). If you wish to continue coverage through Northern Arizona University’s Blue Cross Blue Shield plan, you will need to enroll through ADOA. To be eligible for the health insurance coverage, retirees must apply to receive income from a recognized State of Arizona program at retirement.

ADOA coverage

You must enroll in at least medical and/or dental coverage through ADOA in order to retain the right to enroll in any ADOA medical, dental or vision plan in the future. The same stipulation does not hold for the ASRS plans.

Medicare part B

Retirees and/or dependents must enroll in Medicare Part B at retirement, if eligible, in order to receive the Medicare rate for any ADOA health plan. Investigate how your group health insurance works with Medicare

Exception

A retiring employee whose spouse continues employment with the university in a benefit-eligible position may continue health coverage as a dependent on the spouse’s active employee coverage. Before retiring, notify Human Resources to process the change in coverage.

Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS)

All retiring employees from ASRS, PSPRS and Optional Retirement Plan (ORP), have additional health and dental plan options available through the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS). If enrolled in the ASRS heath care retiree plans all premium payments, open enrollments, and qualified life event changes will happen through ASRS. Please be aware of mail and email you receive from them, especially every fall during open enrollment.

To find out about on the health care options available through ASRS call 800.621.3778 or go https://www.azasrs.gov/content/health-care

Other health care options

Retirees may also obtain health coverage outside of ADOA or ASRS by enrolling in a:

Transitioning from a Northern Arizona University group health plan to an individual plan at or after retirement must be considered carefully. Make sure your new coverage is in effect before terminating any retiree group health coverage.